Wire fence



UNITED STATES 'PATENT OEEIcE.

PETER MAST, OF VATERVILLE, OHIO.

WIRE FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 449,373, dated March 31, 1891.

Application tiled June 14,1890. Serial No. 355,498. (No model.)

T0 all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER MAST, of Waterville, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire Fences; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in wire fences of that character in which a series of wires are put in tension longitudinally and properly supported the desired distance apart, and to which are woven a series of transverse wires, which not only support the longitudinal wires between the posts and prevent the same from sagging, but add to the appearance of the fence and render the same the better adapted to turn the stock.

One objectof the invention is to provide an inexpensive and effective brace for the end portion of the fence by which to compensate for the strain exerted by the tightening devices, as well as the expansion and contrae tion of the wires due to climatic changes.

A further object is to provide a tension device that shall be convenient of operation, positive in action, and durable.

A further Objectis to provide an improved clamp for securing the wires to the post, whereby I am enabled to employa single rectangu lar bar of iron for each post.

The invention consists in the parts and combination of parts hereinafter described,

l and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings forming part of this speciiication, and in which like numerals of reference indicate like parts, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of fence constructed in ac cordance with my invention. Fig. 2is a side elevation of my improved turn-buckle and connectingplates. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of a post, showing the clamp secured thereon and embracing one of the longitudinal wires, this view being taken on line ne cc of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a like view showing a clamp for holding the wire to the posts intermediate the end posts, this View being taken on line y y of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail view of a portion of theturn-buckle, showing the winged nut for embracing the tension-plate. Fig. 6 isa rear elevation of the end post, showing the means employed for bracing the same from inclining sidewise.

1 designates the post, preferably formed of a rectangular bar of metal, which, after being driven into the ground a proper distance, is stayed or anchored by means of anchor plates 2, secured thereto by means of clamps 3, (see Fig. 4,) wherein the same form of clamp is shown as applied to the posts for holding the wire in place.

4t designates the end post, to which the ends of the wires comprising a section of fence are secured, usually by wrapping the same yaround the post and twisting the wire upon itself, as shown. In order to brace the end post and thereby secure a proper tension to the wires, a post 5 is secured in the ground a short distance forward of the end post with the flat side of the post against the wir'es, which are each secured to the post by means of a clamp 6, (see Fig. 3,) consisting of two plates 7, perforated to allow bolts S to be passed through the same, wl1ich,when put in tension bynuts 9 run thereon, cla-mp the wires firmly to the post. This, together with the end post, is braced by means of abar 10, secured to the upperportion of post t and inclining toward post 5, and preferably extending a short distance into the ground about midway between the posts, the lower end being secured from forward movement by means of awire 11, secured thereto and to post 4, there being a'wire 12 secured to the lower end of bar 10 and to the upper end of post 5, whereby when tension is put upon the longitudinal wires any tendency to inclination of the post 5 in the direction of tension is communicated to the wire 12 and to bar 10, caus- I ing the latter to bear with like force in an opposite direction upon post et. l

My improved tension device comprises plates 13 of curved form and perforated centrally to receive the end of a right-and-leftlianddhreaded bolt 14;, formed with an enlargement 15 to receive a wrench by which to turn the bolt when screwing the same into nuts 16, bearing upon the inside of plate 13,

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and formed with projections 17 bent at right angles to the body of the nut to embrace the plate 13 to prevent revolution of the nut.

It will be understood that by reason of the curved formation of the plates 13 the draft of the wires (which are secured to each end thereof by being passed through perforations formed therein) upon the plate is longitudinally with the end portion, thereby giving greater resiliency to the plate to allow of expansion and contraction of the wires when affectedA by climatic changes, and the use of the winged nuts not only obviates the necessity of threading the plates for the reception of the bolt 14 and the liability of stripping the thread in the plate by reason of the lightness of the metal, but by the use of the winged nuts an independency ofaction of the plates is provided for, whereby the same may rock upon the nut to allow of securing wires of irregular lengths thereto, as the plate by this arrangement may rock upon the nut to incline in either direction should one wire be of less length than the other.

The clamp shown in detail in Fig. et is designed for use upon the posts intermediate the end posts and formed in U shape, each end thereof being threaded to receive nuts which bear upon a plate 3', perforated to receive the ends of the clamp which embraces the post with one portion above the wire and one below the same, the plate bearing directly upon the wire and holding' the same firmly when the nuts are screwed firmly against the plate.

In order to properly brace the end post, I employ a wire 18, which may be passed through perforations in the post or wrapped around the same, as shown, with the ends of the wire inclined in opposite directions therefrom and passed through perforations in stakes 19, which are driven into the earth, by which means all possibility of lateral inclination of the post is avoided'.

2O designates a bar, which, when the wires are put in proper tension, is passed between alternate bolts 14, thereby closing the openings caused by the discontinuance of the wire sections, this bar being perforated to receive a wire hook 21, which, when engaged with the upper bolt 14, sustains the sections at this point and prevents sagging.

By the construction described the end post is firmly braced at a minimum expense, and tension is secured upon the wires by a tension device, which allows of ready access to the bolts and an independent action of the plates, which, by reason of their curved formation, may be of lighter material than if formed'of straight plates.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new,l and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isv 1. In a wire fence constructed in sections, a series of curved resilient tension-plates, each perforated centrally and at its ends, the latter perforations to receive two of the longitudinal wires in the same section, in combination with a right-andlefthand-threaded bolt passing loosely through the said central perforations,'and threaded winged nuts embracing the plates and engaging the said bolt.

2. In a wire fence constructed in sections, a series of tension devices to which the wires forming the fence are secured, in combina# tion with a bar arranged alternately in front of and in rear of the respective bolts of the tension devices and having means for engaging the bolt of the upper tension device, for the purposes set forth.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a tension device for wire fences, comprising two curved resilient plates, each perforatedV centrally and at its ends, a right-and-left-handthreaded bolt engaging the central perforation, and winged nuts on said bolt adapted to embrace the said plates.

4. In a wire fence, the combination of two vertical posts, a rigid bar connected with the top portion of the first post and inclined therefrom, a flexible connection attached horizontally to the said post and to the brace-bar near their lower ends, and an upwardly-inclined flexible support connecting with the lower end of the said bar and with the upper portion of the second post.

5. In a wire fence, the combination of two posts, a rigid brace-bar connected with one of the posts and inclined therefrom, and a flexible connection uniting the lower end of the brace-bar with. the lower portion of one post and the upper portion of the other post.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I hereby affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PETER MAST.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM WEBSTER, R. M. ELLIOTT.

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